The Southeast Iowa Dream Center brings together skilled volunteers to complete projects with the community. The Second Saturday Project, a name coined after the group began completing volunteer work on the second Saturday of each month, completes various projects, including yard work, building handicap accessible ramps, painting, and replacing windows and siding for those in need. However, the group faced constraints in their work because of their limited tools and supplies.
In a Fall 2019 application to the Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund (BICEF), The Second Saturday Project want to expand their impact but were limited in tool supplies. After being awarded BICEF funding, the volunteer group was able to purchase tools and supplies that assisted them in:
- Finishing the city ballfield dugouts
- Completing 3 moving projects
- Building a wheelchair ramp for an elderly resident
- Building 30 picnic tables for Liberty and Douma Elementary Schools
- Providing tree removal
- Drywalling for Whatsoever You Do Inc
- Completing deck repairs
- Completing an improvement project for Habitat for Humanity Restore
- Participating in a New Hope Ministry Auction project
- Providing 42 oil changes, free of charge, to residents in need
Nearly 100 volunteers came together over five months, impacting 52 households. Bryce Lidtka, President of the Southeast Iowa Dream Center, said, “The Dream Center is blessed to have a team full of eager hearts to serve our community. In previous years, a limitation to our accomplishments was our tool supplies. We mostly relied on our volunteers to use their own tools, which limited our volunteering capacity and project capacity. Now, thanks to the Legacy Foundation’s generosity, we’ve been able to purchase a great lineup of tool supplies that will equip our team for almost any community need. The Dream Center is excited for more people to experience God’s love through community action, and are continuing to look for more opportunities to serve this beautiful city and surrounding areas.”
Do you have a Bright Idea? Applications for the Spring 2021 Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund will be accepted from February 1-28, 2020. Application guidelines and materials can be found at https://www.ottumwalegacy.org/for-grantees-scholars/bright-ideas-community-enrichment-fund/
